ICAR – CCARI, Goa organized Farmers-Scientist Interaction on ‘Improving productivity of Coastal Saline Soils @ Bharat Ka Amrit Mahotsav

            A Field Day cum Farmers-Scientists Interaction on ‘Improving productivity of coastal saline soils was organized by ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CCARI), Goa under Bharat Ka Amrit Mahotsav on 14/10/2021 at a typical salt-affected farmer’s fields (locally called Khazan lands) at Merces, Tiswadi, Goa. Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR-CCARI briefed the activities and technologies of the Institute and urged the farmers to take up cultivation to make the uncultivated and fallow lands using the technologies developed by ICAR-CCARI, Goa. He assured the farmers for the technological backstopping to make the cultivation under saline environment and sustainable utilization of the khazan lands. The programme was organized to demonstrate how an uncultivated salt-affected lands can be made productive and profitable through scientific paddy cultivation and other technological interventions. Live field demonstration on interventions on improved crop establishment methods and nutrient management practices in salt tolerant rice varieties showcased to the farmers. Around 30 paddy grower having khazan lands attended the programme. Further, land shaping for including fisheries and cultivation of pulse and vegetables was explained to the farmers. On the occasion, a stocking of the fish seed stocking was done in the pond prepared by land shaping to control the salinity besides water harvesting for use in subsequent rabi crops. The meeting was attended by farmers, scientists, young professionals, etc. Through a farmer-scientist interaction, plans and strategies to improve productivity and income from the coastal saline soils was discussed and deliberated at length. Dr. Gopal Ramdas Mahajan, Dr. Sreekanth GB, Mr. Trivesh Mayekar and Mr. Joaquim, farmer organized the programme.